The Baker's Boy
by Emmint
Summary: This is a sequel to my story "The Christmas Baby." Matt Dillon looks on his four year-old Godson, Matthew Milner, as if he were his own son. Bank Robbers kidnap the boy while trying to getaway with Matt, Festus and Chester in pursuit.
1. Chapter 1

**North Platte, Nebraska:**

Six men entered the bank, they held it up stealing forty thousand dollars shooting the deputy sheriff dead as they escaped south. Sheriff Con Groner immediately sent telegraphs to all sheriffs and marshals and organised a posse.

**Dodge City, Kansas:**

Barney Danche listened to the code coming over wire, he wrote it down and carried it to the Marshal's office. He smiled seeing Matt with his four year-old Godson on his knee. "Marshal, got an alert from North Platte," Barney handed the message to Matt. "Bank in North Platte's been held up by six men, deputy sheriff shot dead and forty thousand dollars taken. Sheriff Groner says they're headed this way."

"Right," Matt stood lifting the boy up as he did, Matthew laughed his arms wrapping round Matt's neck.

"Matthew sure looks like Mrs Milner," Matt nodded.

"Just as well considering what happened to Katie," Matt said knowing that Barney knew all about it. "Matthew, I've got to go to work. I'll take you to your mother."

"OK, Uncle Matt," Matt smiled young Matthew was the closest thing to a son that he had. He carried Matthew to the Milner Bakery. "Hello, Matt, figured he was with you."

"Mister Dillon," Matt looked at Chester as he came through the door with Festus. "Barney told us what happened."

"Katie, Sheriff Groner just telegraphed that the bank in North Platte's been held up' They could be on their way down here," Katie had made a batch of Matt's favorite cinnamon rolls so she packed enough for him, Chester and Festus.

"Matt, fresh from the oven, and no I won't take a cent for them. There's enough there for Chester and Festus too," Festus grinned they were some of the most delicious rolls he'd ever ate.

"Wall now, they're going to be pure delarruping," Festus said.

"Katie, I need some bread for the prisoners breakfast," Matt said, she handed him a fresh-baked cob loaf, he paid her the fifty cent cost.

"Thanks, Katie," Matt crouched down by Matthew. "Be a good boy, now," Matthew hugged Matt, his little hands patting Matt's face.

"I'll be good," Matt smiled at him and stood up, and left.

"Matthew, breakfast time, go wash," Katie said, the boy ran in back to the wash stand.

Festus fixed up the breakfast for the prisoners in the cells while Chester started to build a pot of coffee, Festus took the breakfast through to the cells. "Now that's more like it," the cowpoke said, "of all the jails I've been in yours serves the best breakfast, not as good as my mommas but good."

"Festus, you can let Williams and McNee go now," Matt called out.

"Not till I've had breakfast, you don't, Marshal," Williams said, then ate up quick.

"Did I hear a child earlier," McNee asked.

"That'd be young Matthew, he's the marshal's Godson," Festus led them into the office, Matt handed them their guns.

"If you want to come to town tonight, you remember to watch your manners," Matt said.

"Sure will, Marshal," McNee said.

"Marshal, where'd I get some more bread like this?" Williams asked.

"Milner Bakery along the street to the left."

"I still got some money left going to buy some take it out to the camp, show em what they're missing," Matt smiled these two were just like all Texas trail hands when it came down to food they followed their stomachs.

"Marshal, did I hear you say a bank up north was held up?" McNee asked.

"Yes, six men held up the bank in North Platte killing the Deputy Sheriff."

"Similar thing happened up in Jackson, Wyoming. Six men, shot the Sheriff though and headed South. Could be they're working their way through all the states."

"How do ..."

"My cousin's the deputy sheriff."

"How much did they get?"

"Around thirty thousand dollars, most of it the hard-earned cash of the local ranchers. Meant for some lean times for a while."

"Thanks," Matt wrote a quick note. "Festus take this to Barney. Ask him to wire this to all sheriffs and marshals north of here."

"I'll get it done, Matthew," Festus said as he followed the two cowpokes out of the office.


	2. Chapter 2

Festus watched everybody coming down the street from the north end of the street. Chester was sat in a nearby chair, they watched as six men rode up to Bodkins Bank and dismounted, before going in, Chester rose and turned towards the door of the office. "Chester, cain't do nothing until they do, no need to disturb Matthew," Matt was actually busy getting his paperwork in order. Festus saw a cowboy lift little Matthew up unto the hitching rail, he laughed.

"What's your name, kid?" the cowboy asked.

"Matthew, his name's Matthew," Festus said. "He loves it when people put him on the hitching rail."

"You going to be a cowboy when you grow up?"

"No. A Marshal like Uncle Matt."

"Marshal Dillon?" Matthew nodded vigorously.

"Matthew's named after the marshal. He's Marshal Dillon's Godson."

"Milner Bakery here does it do good bread?"

"Sure does, best I've ever tasted, even better than my Aunt Thede's and thet's saying a lot," the cowboy went into the bakery. Shots came from the bank, the six men ran from the bank, mounted their horses and raced out-of-town one of them grabbed little Matthew as he raced by. "Chester, get Matthew."

"I'm here, Festus," Matt said, anger just bubbling under the surface. The cowboy came out of the bakery, munching on a cinnamon roll.

"Howdy, Matt."

"Hank Summers, I'll be doggone," Matt said, they shook hands.

"Wish we'd met in different circumstances. I'll join the posse if you want?"

"Glad to have you," Matt headed for the Long Branch there were two people who needed to know, "Festus, you tell Katie we'll get Matthew back," Doc looked up as Matt came through the swinging doors. "I'm forming a posse, I'd like to deputize ten to twenty of you to ride in it, we'll get the money they took back. More than that they've taken Matthew Milner and we're definitely going to get him back, if I have to chase them from here to Hell," Kitty and Doc understood that Matt was barely suppressing the anger that threatened to come to the surface.

"Mister Dillon," Chester said, "I've brought your horse up, with mine and Festus's mule."

"Thanks, Chester," cow hands raced for their horses, the posse rode out of Dodge following a great big marshal on a great big buckskin with at the moment a real foul temper.

* * *

><p>The six bank robbers rode hard and fast up to the top of the hill Little Matthew crying his heart out, a seventh man joined them. "What the hell have you brought him along for?"<p>

"Insurance, that posse's going to be reluctant to shoot if they think they might hit the kid."

"Yeah, and you just made it certain that he'll follow us to hell to get the kid back. I scouted Dodge four days ago and you idiots kidnap the one kid that Dillon would lay down his life for."

"What'd you mean, Jenkins?"

"The kid, he's Matt Dillon's Godson, now we've really got to ride hard."


	3. Chapter 3

The outlaw holding Little Matthew got fed up with his crying and shook him hard. "Stop that crying you sniveling little rat."

"Give him to me, Sawyer" Jenkins took Little Matthew in front of him. "He ain't going to quit crying until you quit scaring him. Hush there we'll stop soon have a meal, you'll feel better then."

"I want Uncle Matt!" Little Matthew got out between sobs.

"You tell that sniveling little rat to keep quiet or I'll put a bullet in him," Sawyer said, Jenkins's gun appeared in his hand.

"You harm one hair on this boy's head and I'll kill you where you stand. He wouldn't be crying now if you hadn't of wrenched him away from his family to keep your worthless hide safe. When I think we've left the posse far enough behind we find somewhere safe to put him or someone who can take him back to Dodge," night began to fall they pulled up. Sawyer, the man who'd snatched Matthew shoved him to one side.

"Out of my way you rat," Little Matthew started to cry again, Jenkins's put his gun barrel to Sawyer's head.

"Do that again and I'll carry out my earlier threat. Tomorrow I'll give you your cut and you leave us. I don't fancy having Matt Dillon hound me for the rest of my natural if anything happens to the boy."

"What if I don't agree to leave?"

"I kill you now, leave a note on your body, telling Dillon you took the boy. I'll tell him we'll leave the boy at some ranch nearby. You want to leave or do you want to die?"

"OK, I'll leave but if I ever see you again ..."

"Yeah, you'll kill me ... you'll try as others have tried they're all dead. Kid, what's your name?"

"Matthew."

"Well, Matthew, you stay near me now. You fellas got that grub ready?"

"Heck yes, Jenkins," one of the men held out two plates of fried bacon.

"Give me a cup of coffee and a cup of water for the boy," Jenkins sat next to Little Matthew, he handed the cup to him. "Now you sip at that water, and then you can eat this."

"Thank you," Jenkins smiled.

"Your momma sure taught you right, and Matt Dillon too, you really love him, don't you?" Little Matthew nodded. "You get some sleep now," Jenkins wrapped him in a blanket. Jenkins woke Little Matthew gently in the morning handed him a plate of bacon and some water. "In a couple of days we'll cross the border into Mexico. I'll take you to a church, tell the priest there about you, ask if he'll take you back to your Uncle Matt," Jenkins handed a bundle of notes to Sawyer. "Don't let me see you again, Sawyer, if I do I'll kill you," Sawyer got his horse and rode off.

* * *

><p>The posse didn't rest, they rode hard, Hank Summers rode up next to Matt. "Matt, we don't spell these horses, we'll end up walking after those men," Matt reluctantly nodded, they stopped to make camp.<p>

"Looks like they're headed for Mexico, Matthew?" Festus said. "We're going to be needing pursuit warrants, ain't we?"

"Yeah, we'll stop off at the next town and get some," they stopped to rest the horses and made camp for the night; the next morning they set off again, by afternoon they rode into Englewood the people watched them as they rode up to the marshal's office. Matt dismounted and went into the office, Festus took hold of Buck's reins. "Bill, I need a whole bunch of pursuit warrants."

"Matt, we got a telegraph telling us what happened, they rode by six days ago. They'd have kidnapped a grown man, I might have taken a chance, but a four year-old kid."

"Thanks for that. Was he alright?"

"He seemed to be sure is a brave little cuss. The one who had him gave me a message for you. Said he wasn't the one who took him, they left him to go his own way. Said when they've crossed the border into Mexico he'd leave the boy at a monastery and a Priest would bring him back here. Made it sound as if the boy means something to you."

"He's my Godson, his name's Matthew. His mother named him for me. She came in on the stage one Christmas Eve, heavily pregnant, collapsed right in front of me."

"Knowing you, I can just bet you carried her to Doc Adams's," Matt nodded.

"She was in labour, Little Matthew was born on Christmas Day. He's like a son to me."

"You always were a big softy when it came to children. I'll get you those pursuit warrants."


	4. Chapter 4

"The folks around here have made space for you and the posse to rest tonight, you and your horses."

"Thanks, Bill."

"Matt, I'll get a telegraph off to Dodge, let them know about the boy."

"Thanks, you better send it to Doc Adams, he'll let everyone know. Little Mathew has three Godfathers and a Godmother. Me, Chester, Doc Adams and Miss Kitty. His mother, Katie will be desperate for news."

"You get yourself and your people to the saloon, they'll have a heap of food waiting for you," Matt smiled and left the office.

"Chester, the townsfolk are going to put us all up and there's food waiting at the saloon for us all. You men come to the saloon as soon as you've seen to your horses."

"I'll take care of ol Buck, Matthew," Festus said.

"Thanks, Festus, I'll be at the saloon."

* * *

><p>Doc Adams entered the Long Branch, Kitty was staring into a cold glass of beer. "Howdy, Doc. Sam, beer for Doc."<p>

"I'll bring it right over, Miss Kitty."

"Sure is quiet with Matt, Chester and Festus out after that gang," Burke came in with an envelope.

"Doc, tried your office first. This just came, it's from Marshal James of Englewood," Doc scanned the message.

"Matt and the posse are in Englewood tonight," Doc's heart lifted to see Kitty smiling. "Marshal James saw Little Matthew when the gang rode through. The boy seems to be alright. The leader said he'd drop the boy at a monastery across the border in Mexico ask a priest to bring him up as far as Englewood."

"Thank God, they seem to be taking care of him, but he must be frightened."

"You know, Matt, he will continue the pursuit even if he gets Little Matthew back," Kitty nodded.

"It's a good thing Matt left Quint in charge of the jail," Doc nodded, Quint was a good man to rely on.

* * *

><p>The posse set off the next morning from Englewood and headed due south across the border into Texas, the rangers joined them as they ran down to the Mexican border, by the time they reached the border they were forty men behind them. Matt smiled as Captain Julio Chavez came towards him. "Señor Dillon, it has been a long time since Señor Hacker."<p>

"Julio, I have pursuit warrants for six men, we don't know who they are."

"I heard about the men, they have taken a boy as a hostage."

"Yes, his name's Matthew, he's my Godson."

"Dios mío, they have not crossed here. They may have crossed further down and out of sight of us. I will ride with you," Julio fetched his horse.

"Thank you, Julio. The leader mentioned a monastery, he said he would leave Matthew there."

"There are no monasteries near here, there is a church in Zaragoza, La Iglesia Adventista de Zaragoza, they may go there."

"You're sure?"

"No, but it is the nearest church, they may have mistaken it for a monastery. If we leave now and ride hard we may get there before them. Let them take the boy to the church and then ..." Matt knew what Julio meant and nodded.


	5. Chapter 5

As they rode on Julio picked up Major Diaz and his Rurales, they raced into Zaragoza, hid the posse and their horses. "We will wait all they will see is Rurales," Julio said, "they may not think we will know of them. We'll wait until your Godson is in the church, before we move in on them."

"Julio, Matthew is going to be scared, I need to ..."

"Matteo, if he sees you he could run to you and be in danger if the gringo bandidos try to run." Matt nodded reluctantly agreeing with Julio's assessment of the situation. They waited watching the roads until at noon the six men rode down towards the church. Matt watched as Jenkins dismounted, he helped Little Matthew down and rummaged in his saddlebags producing a stagecoach and horses toy on wheels which he handed to Little Matthew, he took the boys hand and led him towards the church. A man appeared in the doorway, Jenkins let the boys hand go. "Stay perfectly still, Matthew. What do you want, Sawyer? I told you what would happen if I saw you again."

"Marshal, the man with Matthew, he wasn't with them in the bank," Matt looked at the man who'd spoken, a cowboy who'd been in the bank at the time. "That other one he was in the bank."

"Matthew," Festus said, "that one who came from the church, he's the one who took Little Matthew."

"He must've joined them later," Matt said. Sawyer's hand started to pull his gun, but Jenkins was lightening fast, he put a bullet in Sawyer's chest, Sawyer got off a lucky shot hitting Jenkins in the leg, Jenkins put another bullet in Sawyer's chest killing him outright. Jenkins hauled himself upright and led Little Matthew into the church. The Rurales closed in on the men, who wisely handed over their weapons. Matt went in to the church a priest was examining Jenkins leg. Little Matthew ran towards him.

"Uncle Matt! Uncle Matt!" Matt lifted him up into his arms.

"I'm Reg Jenkins. Taking the boy was all Sawyers's idea, it wasn't part of the plan. He killed the Sheriff in Jackson and the Deputy Sheriff in North Platte. I planned the raids and scouted the banks. We needed one man to watch the road just was thought best to be me."

"Why did Sawyer ..."

"He was mad, we got fed up of him taking things into his own hands. Him taking the boy and the way he treated him pissed me off, we gave him his cut and let him go. You saw what happened when I saw him come out of the church. When we gave him his cut I told him what would happen if I saw him again. I knew he would try to harm Matthew, so ..."

"So you killed him," Jenkins nodded.

"It was the only way I could be sure the boy would be safe."

"You ready to go back?"

"As ready as I'll ever be. Marshal."

"Where'd Matthew get the toy stage?"

"We needed supplies, in the store I saw the way he was admiring the toy so I bought it for him. I auppose I was trying to make all this seem better than it was," Little Matthew stroked Matt's face.

"Uncle Matt, you need a shave."

"I do?" the boy nodded, a priest helped Jenkins up and followed behind Matt as he carried the boy. "Uncle Chester and Uncle Festus are outside," the boy squealed with laughter. Chester and Festus came forward when Matt came out of the church. "Festus, help Jenkins up onto his horse," Festus gave Jenkins a boost as he mounted. "Julio, this is Little Matthew. Matthew, this is Julio Chavez an old friend."

"Matteo, he is a very brave boy, one day I will come up to Dodge to visit with you," Matt sat Little Matthew astride Buck and mounted up behind him, they rode out heading north, they soon crossed the border into Texas.

"Dallas," Matt said. "can you send a telegraph to Doc Adams in Dodge. Tell him that Little Matthew is safe and well and that we'll be home in about ten days?"  
>"Sure, Matt, it'll be a pleasure."<p>

**Epilogue**

Ten days after leaving El Paso, the posse returned to a cheering mob of enthusiastic townsfolk, Katie Milner was standing with Doc and Miss Kitty outside the Long Branch as Matt rode up with Little Matthew in front of him. He dismounted and helped Little Matthew down, the boy ran to his mother. "Mommy!"

"Festus, Chester, take the men to the jail, have Quint lock them up. Doc could you look at Jenkins leg?"

"Certainly Matt," Doc followed Festus and Chester to the jail. Matt wrapped an arm round Kitty.

"You look tired, Cowboy," Miss Kitty said.

"Don't worry about me, I'm going to Ma's and sleep for a week. Well perhaps not a week it just feels like I could sleep for a week."


End file.
